THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2024 • VOLUME N0. 129 • ISSUE NO. 35 • 1 SECTION • 12 PAGES
Serving Colfax • Mingo • Baxter • Western Jasper County
RVTV HEADING TO BAXTER By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune For the first time, WHO 13 TV’s RVTV is making a stop in Baxter on its tour leading up to the Iowa-Iowa State CyHawk game. On Sept. 5 the RV crew will roll into Baxter ready to celebrate not only the game but the community as well. “Can’t wait to find out what awaits us in Baxter,” WHO 13 Sports Anchor John Sears said. “Word is they know how to throw a party.” The lineup for 2024 starts Sept. 2 in Perry and continues each day to Mitchellville, Oskaloosa, Baxter and Newton before landing in Iowa City Sept. 7 for game day. Going strong since 1995, RVTV was conceived when WHO 13 Sports Director Keith Murphy was at WOI. At the time, Iowa was dominating the series having won 15 games in a row. “The game was in Ames, and we just tried to create some buzz and fun. I said, ‘This game is so big, I’m camping at the stadium.’ And I did (in a)
Cousin Eddie-type RV we borrowed from one of our engineers,” Murphy said. “I slept in it all week right there inside the stadium fence. We called it RVTV.” The next year he moved to WHO 13 and a few years later decided to start up RVTV again. The crew continued to stay either at the stadiums in Ames or Iowa City the week of the game, he said. But after a while it grew stale and they needed to change up the format. “We decided to take the show on the road as a traveling tailgate celebrating the Iowa-Iowa State rivalry. That re-energized RVTV, and took it up a notch,” Murphy said. The traveling event has made dozens of stops in different towns throughout the years with a few favorites having the team stop by more than once. Baxter is already getting the ball rolling with planning underway. “It has become an event,” Sears said. “We’ve got a couple of months until it kicks off but we like to announce it now so those towns can start gearing up.”
Annual WHO 13 tour headed to Bolts Country Sept. 5
Screenshot from WHO 13 Baxter is the fourth stop on WHO 13’s RVTV 2024. The annual tour before the CyHawk game will be in town Sept. 5 for a day filled with activities and excitement on everything Baxter.
SENDING REINFORCEMENTS
Health assessment survey available through county
Commission meeting sees outpour of support for VA administrator and a demand for more resources
Survey used to determine top needs in Jasper County By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune The Jasper County Health Department is encouraging residents of the county to participate in the Jasper County Community Health Assessment Survey. The Christopher Braunschweig/Jasper County Tribune Members of the Jasper County Veterans Affairs Commission speak to guests during a packed meeting on May 8 inside survey, which is available through May 31, the conference room of the county administration building. seeks to engage in a dialogue with citizens about their health concerns, experiences By Christopher Braunschweig tooth and nail to get them the financial Veterans say her work speaks for itself. and goals. Jasper County Tribune benefits they deserve. Ever since she was In August 2023, Newton News report“MercyOne Newton Medical Center, hired in as the head of Jasper County ed that Wilson’s department had handled Jasper County Health Department and Veterans typically do not mince words, Veterans Affairs, Wilson hit the ground 1,042 veteran appointments in fiscal year numerous community partners have coland the ones who showed up to the most running with her valuable expertise and 2022. The past quarter of that year saw laborated to launch the 2025-2028 Jasper recent Jasper County Veterans Affairs followed through for her veterans. 328 appointments between scheduled County Community Health Assessment,” Commission meeting last week did not Prior to her joining Jasper County, some visits, walk-ins and home visits. Veterans Jasper County Health Department Adhold back their feelings over what they veterans felt disenfranchised or ignored. affairs also brought in more than $2 milministrator Becky Pryor said. “We’d love perceived as a lack of support for two- While many received their benefits, oth- lion for veterans that past quarter. for everyone to take the survey and share it year administrator Alyssa Wilson, who at ers had hit brick walls and lost hope that On average, the office brings in more at their workplaces. We want to know the times was in tears listening to feedback. the department — or, perhaps, their gov- than $780,000 per month for veterans. needs in the community.” Josh Davis, a veteran who arrived to ernment — would ever come through for Sometimes it’s upwards of $1 million per The survey works to gather valuable the meeting in crutches to support Wil- them again. Wilson turned things around month. information on the health needs and prison, said, “The people that came here in part because she knows the game. VETERANS ARRIVE IN FORCE TO orities of the citizens of Jasper County. By today shows that she needs help. She’s Somewhere underneath all that buDEFEND ADMINISTRATOR documenting the results, the county can overloaded. I just had surgery a week ago reaucracy and the piles of endless paperWhich may be why folks were so quick further understand the variety of challengand I shouldn’t be here. But I came over work is a veteran’s certification to receive to react to the Jasper County Veterans es and opportunities people are up against, here for her.” his or her benefits. Wilson knows it takes Affairs Commission agenda on May 8. and work to address them through more Paul Padilla, also a veteran, suggested more than a shovel to get to the bur- Phrases like “administrator’s activity respecific programs and services. Wilson already has enough work to do ied treasure that will make her veterans port,” “home visit guidelines” and “work Questions range from ranking how but is being asked to do more work, say- whole. She is patient and she is persistent. log” did not sit well with those veterans. active people are to what kind of foods do ing, “She has all that paperwork there for Some might even call her obsessive. Initially, they saw it as unfair scrutiny and they eat and what chronic diseases they about two weeks. She’s up to her eyeballs Others, like Lisa Van Ryswyk, may call ignorance of the real problem. have. It addresses mental health, barriers in paperwork. But let’s give her more pa- her passionate. Todd Magel of KCCI Des Apart from Wilson handling the bulk to receiving healthcare and the quality of perwork to do to track her paperwork?” Moines released a report in mid-April of the work, she is assisted by employee the services they have used. Judy Jones, a direct but soft-spoken about how Van Ryswyk’s father, Ken Van Josh Price, who splits his time between The survey also requests information woman whose sister has received support Veen, was recognized by the federal gov- veterans affairs and general assistance. about housing, food availability, childcare from Wilson, said, “We 100 percent — ernment as a Vietnam veteran only after But the workload is still too much for oneand work opportunities. Finally, it asks maybe even 150 percent — support Alys- he died. Van Veen was seeking disability and-a-half people to handle. It was too community members to rank the priorsa. She’s doing a wonderful job and this benefits. much back when Keith Thorpe, a VSO, ities for Jasper County and list areas of board needs to know that. They need to Magel reported that Wilson helped was helping out in the office. strength and where improvements can be leave her alone and let her do her job.” Van Ryswyk fill out forms and ignore Things got so busy that Wilson told made moving forward. It was the largest meeting turnout the repeated denials from the feds, who the board of supervisors she may need “We had 210 back already and we’ve commissioners had ever seen. There were later discovered their mistake. Thorpe to transition from an hourly poonly been open since Friday (May 3),” more than 30 people in attendance and it But it was too late. Wilson told Chan- sition to a salaried position. Pryor said. “I was thrilled with that. We’re had quickly become a standing room only nel 5 she wished these stories were rare. Even the administrator’s activities rehoping for around 300 to 400 surveys Shaw Media back.” event. Most of the folks who gathered in It is clear Wilson is very protective of port included in the agenda packet shows the administration building conference her veterans. To her they are more than that while Wilson is maintaining a high A town hall meeting will also be held room were veterans. Young and old. They just clients, and she feels very strongly level of appointments — a total of 123 in Sept. 11 to discuss community needs, as all agreed on one thing: that because of their service to their coun- April — she is not able to answer every well. Additional details about the town Wilson needs reinforcements. try they are entitled to emergency finan- phone call. She was able to answer 79 hall will be released at a later date. Once To them, she is a beloved champion of cial assistance or application approvals all veterans who has proven she will fight for VA compensation and VA pensions. VA | 3 SURVEY | 3 est. 1851
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